VSI
In Pursuit of Sustainability: Strategy & Planning for Theological Education
Philip Melanchthon, the essential yin to Martin Luther’s yang, led reformation of Lutheran education. The times demanded new educational materials and forms, and consumed much of his attention from his inaugural lecture at Wittenberg in August 1518 until his death in April 1560. Melanchthon’s personal impact was felt from primary levels through university. His final… read more
Faculty as Institutional Citizens: An Invisible but Essential Aspect of Vital Sustainability
In their study entitled The Impact of New Public Management on Academic Citizenship: A Case Study of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sharareh Ani and Lina Persson state that “[a]cademic citizenship is a relatively new theory that has not yet been studied in any depth” (2016, 14). To support their claims, they… read more
The Relevance of Systems in the Administration of Theological Schools
Schools need systems to function, but not all institutions have had an opportunity to develop them in ways that serve the mission of the school. The following summarizes three primary systems required for effective administration as well as links and suggestions for free or low cost, readily available alternatives to help schools meet their needs.… read more
Buddhist Preaching in Contemporary Theravada Sri Lanka: Lessons for the Church
Introduction In Sri Lanka, Buddhist preaching fills the air throughout the day in preaching halls, public ceremonies, on TV, and even over the radios in taxi cabs. For two thousand years, preaching has shaped not only the devotees of Buddhism but also the culture of Sri Lanka. The following will describe the practice of preaching… read more
Serving the Seminary Community in a Country in Conflict: Five Lessons Learned at the Biblical Seminary of Colombia
Student communities are miniature representations of the society and history of a country. As such, Biblical Seminary of Colombia (FUSBC) embodies traits such as joy, friendship, and a certain “magical realism” found in Latin America. The seminary’s theology curriculum comes from both the rigor of books and from the experience of being Colombian. For example,… read more
Faculty Development in Service to the Mission of the School
For greatest impact, each theological school must discern and articulate its unique mission within the broader purpose of theological education in service to the Church and the Kingdom of God. This mission then guides the strategy of the school, for which the faculty is perhaps the most essential resource as the means of achieving institutional… read more
Becoming More Truly Christ’s Followers and More Truly South Asian
“Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are” Jose Ortega y Gasset A welter of challenges faces the church in South Asia. Some are daunting, but each is an opportunity the Christian community can engage and use. The key challenge concerns identity. Over the last decade, South Asia Institute… read more
Why Contextual Theology Matters for the Church
Biblical Basis of Contextual Theology He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all… read more
InResponse: Vision and Leadership: Vital to Sustaining the Faith in Sub-Saharan Africa
In his article, “Sustaining What Matters,” Jason Ferenczi presents a multifaceted understanding of the sustainability of theological institutions. Theological schools play a critical role in ensuring the future of Christianity, particularly in my own context of Africa. As President of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS)1, I agree that human resources, especially executive leaders, play… read more
Theological Education in Africa: Business or Mission?
Abstract: Financial viability remains one of the greatest challenges facing schools of theology. To succeed, schools in Africa need to better understand the business of theological education in order to better accomplish their mission. To do so, schools must better understand the true costs of forming leaders, engage the church in the mission of theological… read more
